Door opener and check.



G. B. CLAY. DOOR OPENER AND CHECK,

APPLICATION FILED JAN- l 1917- 228 40'? Patented June 5,191?.

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GQ B. CLAY.

DOOR OPENER AND CHECK.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I7. I9I7.

1,228,407. Patented June 5, 1917.

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GEORGE B. CLAY, OF JNKINTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DOOR OPENER AND CHECK.

,Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917 Application led January 17, 1917. Serial No. 142,843.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, GEORGE B. CLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Jenkintown, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Door Opener and Check, of which 4the following is a specification. A c

This invention relates to a combined dooropener and check and has more particular relation to an improvement upon the device for which Letters Patent were granted to me under date of November 1.4L, 1916, the same being numbered 1,204,651.

While the device disclosed in said above mentioned patent isfeiicieut for the purpose for which it is designed, namely, opening and checking a door, practical experience has demonstrated that'commercially considered, certain obj ectional features arepresent in the device relating principally to its operation during the closing of-a door. `For instance, to close a door requires that a person exert a pull upon the curved arm of the device in order to free the roller from the stop. The spring tension of the :parts is such that Vit requires considerable strength to accomplish this, particularly if the device is located well toward the top of a door. In some instances, a bar is used as a lever with which to accomplish this disengagement of parts.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the above recited disadvantageous features and provide a new and novel means of release for said door opener and check which may be readily and conveniently operated without undue effort upon the part of the operator even though the door-openenor check is located well up toward the top of a door. A further object of the present invention is to provide a form of release in which is combined efiiciency, cheapness of structure, reliability in operation, simplicity of construction and the provision of parts so arranged that the release may be operated in one direction only. Other and further objects of the present invention reside in the providing of a combination, arrangement and construction of `parts designed to better and render more commercially valuable the door opener and check described in my aforesaid patcnt.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, `characteristic features and kscopeof the invention will be more Vfully understoodfrom the following description taken in connection .with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which: .f

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of the device ofthe invention to a pair of outwardly opening doors as shown in closed position.

`F ig. 2 is a fragmentary view *of the left hand side of Fig. 1 :drawn to an enlarged scale, and illustrating the same in perspective.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view ofthe right hand side of Fig. 1 illustrating the locked position of a door whenopened.

Fig. et is a fragmentary view in elevation of the door and release shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1, and illustrating the position of the release when the door is closed. v

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the position of the release to permit closing of the door. Y l l k i Fig. 6 is an edge View of the guide piece and movable stop shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the stop.

For the ,purpose ofillustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice `to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is disclosed a pair of hinged outwardly opening doors 10 normally maintained in closed position by door-bolts 11 releasable for example by an overhead cord and handpull `attachment 12. Operatively fitted between each door and a complemental door-jambl 13 is a door-opener and check which with the eX- ception of the stop and complemental parts of the present invention is of a construction as `fully described and claimed in my aforebe variously said patent. Brieiy stated, each of these devices embraces a pivot 111 and a jointed arm, one section 15 ofwhich is operatively mounted to swing around said pivot and the other section 16 of which is slidingly mounted upon a door, the section 15 being provided with a roller 17 for freely riding over a stop hereinafter described to cooperatively engage therewith upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof. As each door is equipped with parts which are duplicates of one another, further description thereof will be restricted to a single door. Vhile the dooropener and check as installed in accordance with the construction disclosed in my aforesaid patent is admirably adapted for opening and checking a door, practical eXperience has demonstrated that to disengage the sliding section 16 from the fixed stop necessitates a pull upon the swinging section 15 of considerable strength. Frequently the door-opener and check is located well up toward the top of a door which adds to the inconvenience of releasing the sliding section 16. In some instances, particularly where the door is massive, the spring tension upon the parts is so great that a bar is used as a lever to disengage said parts. These disadvantageous features while not effecting the usefulness of this door-opener and check detract from its commercial success. According to the present invention, I make the stop which is designated 18 movable with respect to a door so that it may be drawn away from the roller 17 upon the section 15 by a system of levers whereby slight effort upon the part of the operator disengages the stop from the roller to permit a door being closed. This stop 18 comprises a plate 19 having preferably formed integral therewith a wedgeshaped projection 20 having a concaved or recessed rear end 21. The plate 19 is providedtop and bottom with an ear 22 and is adapted for a dove-tailed sliding fit within a guide piece 23, the latter being secured as by screws 24C to a door 10. In practice, the

guide piece is provided with an inclined portion 25 which in effect forms a continuation of the wedge-shaped projection 20 so that the roller upon the section 15 may ride in an even manner from the track 26 to the said part 20. The track 26, part 25 and projection 20 are usually of the same width. Vhile the contour of the guide piece 23 is rectangular, the guide-way therethrough is disposed upon a slight angle so that the plate 19 which is formed to coperate therewith has a `movement through the guide-piece at an angle considered vertically of a door. The recessed or concaved face 21 of the projection 2() however parallels the vertical axis of the roller 17 in contradistinction from being disposed upon an angle. Thus with the roller 17 in abutting relation with concaved face 21 downward movement of the plate 19 upon an angle which inclines away from the roller instead of causing binding between the roller and face 21 acts to ease binding thereof and permits an easy, free and rapid release of parts. The plate 19 is normally retained in alinement with the track by means of a spring 110 which is connected between a lug 22 upon the plate and the door 10. Pivotally connecting with a lug 22 upon the plate and with an arm of a bellcrank lever 29 is a substantially vertically disposed rod 30 and pivotally connecting with the other arm of the bell-crank lever 29 and with a pivoted operating handle 31 is another rod 32 which is substantially horizontally disposed. The handle 31 which serves both as a medium for operating the release and for pulling inwardly a door 10 is located upon or adjacent to the stile 33.

The handle is provided with inwardly projected ends to prevent articles of wearing apparel and the like catching thereon as persons pass the door. The rod 32 is so arranged that the handle 31 may be turned about its pivot point in but one direction. For instance in Fig. 1, the handle 31may be turned in a direction toward the center of the door-way only. This is so that a person operating the device will not turn the handles in the wrong direction and thus bend, distort or jam the release parts. As a further protection against the possibility of such a thing occurring I provide above each handle a plate 35 upon which is delineated a notice instructing which way to turn said handles. In order to prevent turning of a handlef31 in the wrong direction, I employ a guide piece 36, fixed to a door 10 and through which the rod 32 may be moved in a direction away from a door-jamb. Movement of the rod in an opposite direction is prevented by reason of lock-nuts 37 secured to the rod 32 and which normally abuts against said guide-piece.

In lorder that a complete understanding of the invention may be had, a description will now be given of the entire operation of the door-opener and check including release. Assuming the doors 10 to be closed as shown in Fig. 1, the door bolts 11 are first released by the hand pull'attachment 12. IVith the release thereof, the doors being under spring tension swing outwardly thus breaking each arm at its joint, which causes each roller 17 to pass along a track or guide-way and ride over a projection 2O and come to rest in abutting relation with the rear end 21 of a projection 20, in which position the doors turn movement. To close the doors the operator now moves each handle in turn around its pivot point in the direction of an arrow upon the plate above a handle which are arrested against removement causes a projection 20 to pass 130 downward out of alinement with a track 26 and maintaining the parts in such position pulls inwardly a door by means of the handle until closed position is obtained. Upon release of a handle, a spring A() returns a plate 'L9 to place, a roller 17 in the meantime having been caused to pass over the plate-guide to normal position upon a track 26 to re-set the arm of a door opener and check.

lt will now be apparent that I have devised `a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description and while libave in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modilication in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

lWhat lf claim is: l. A device of the character stated embracing in combination a door, a stop movably mounted upon the door, a pivot, a jointed arm, one section of which is mounted to swing around said pivot and the other section of which is slidingly mounted upon the door, one of said sections being constructed to cooperatively engage with said stop upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof and means connecting with said stop for withdrawiiig the same from the path of travel of the stop engaging' section.

Q. A device of the character stated embracing in combination a door, ajstop movably mounted upon the door, a pivot, a jointed arm, one section of which is mounted to swing around said pivot and the other section of which is slidingly mounted upon the door, one of said sections being constructed to cooperatively engage with. said stop upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof and means connecting' with said stop for withdrawing the same from the path of travel of the stopl engaging section and means connected with said stop for returning it to normal position.

3. A device of the character stated emy bracing in combination a door, a guide piece iixed to the door, a stop movably mounted in the guide piece, a pivot, a jointed arm, one section of which is mounted to swing around said pivot and the other section of which is slidingly mounted upon the door, one of said sections being' constructed to coperatlvely engage with said stop upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof, means connected with said stop for moving the same through said guide piece a predetermined distance and 'independent means for returning the stop to normal position.

1l. A device of the character stated embracing in combination a door, a member lined to the door having an inclined guideway therein, a stop under springV tension movable through the guide-way, a pivot, a jointed arm one section of which is mounted to swing around said pivot and the other section of which is slidingly mounted upon the door, one of said sections being constructed to cooperatively engage said stop upon opening' of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof and `means connected with said stop for moving the same .in a direction in advance of and away from the stop engaging section.

5. A device of the character stated embracing in combination a door, a stop movably mounted upon the door, a pivot, a jointed arm one part of which is mounted to swing around the pivot and the other section of which is slidingly mounted upon the door, one of said sections being constructed to cooperatively engage with said stop upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof, means connecting with the stop for withdrawing the same from the path of travel of said stop engaging section and an operating attachment connected with said means and removed an appreciable distance away from said stop.

6. A device of the character stated embracing in combination a door, a stop movably mounted upon the door, a pivot, a jointed arm one part of which is mounted to swing' around the pivot and the other section of which is slidingly mounted upon the door, one of said sections being constructed to cooperatively engage with said stop upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof, means for moving said stop away from the path of travel of the stop engaging parts to release the door and means for returning the stop to normal position.

7. A device of the character stated embracing in combination a door, a stop movably mounted upon the door, door opening mechanism constructed to cooperatively engage the stop upon opening of the door a predetermined distance to arrest return movement thereof, means operative in one direction for moving said stop away from the path of travel of .the stop engaging parts to release the door and means operative to return the stop and stop moving means to normal position.

8. Releasing' means for door openers embracing a fixed guide piece having an inclined way therein, a stop under spring tension movable through said way, a bellcrank lever, a link pivotally connecting said of the lever, an operating handle and a link stop and an anrn of the lever, ,an operating pvotally connecting said handle and the handle and a link pvotally connecting' said other arm of said lever.

handle andthe other arm of Said level'. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 9. Releasing means for door openers einsgned my name.

bracing a fixed guide piece having an in- GEORGE B CLAY elned Way therein, a substantially wedgeshaped stop under spring tension movable Witnesses:

through said Way, a bell-Crank lever, a link WILLIAM J. JACKSON, 10 pvotally connecting said stop and an arm CLARA E. REvnNo.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

